Screen door hook



March 17,A '936 T DE VlLBgSs 034,331

` SCREEN DOOR HOOK l Filed Deo. 24, 1954 ATTO R N EY Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES 'EET GFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates toy screen door fasteners and especially to fasteners of that type in which a hook is hung on the door and holds the door closed by engaging an eye on the door jamb, the objects being to avoid marring of the door by a swinging hook, to hold the hook out of the way when the door is not fastened and avoid damage to the door jamb by the hook lodging between the door and the jarnb as the door closes, and to prevent the hook catching in the eye when the door is closed, thereby locking oneself out. With these and other objects in View, the invention resides in such a device as is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and particularly set forth and defined in the following description and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a portion of a screen door and door jamb having the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, the line I -I in this gure indicating the plane of the section shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing the door fastened.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section showing a modification.

Figure 6 is a detail View of the hook support shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a plan view showing the hook applied to a double screen door.

The screen door, a portion of which is shown at I, may be of any known. or approved construction arranged to abut at its free edge upon a slamming shoulder 2 on the door jamb 3. The hook 4 has one end of its shank formed into an eye 5 which is interengaged with the screw-eye B secured in the door whereby the hook may ordinarily be swung in any direction, the hook being engaged in a screw-eye 1, secured in the door jamb, when the door is to be held closed. Coiled around the eye Ii is an expansion spring 8 which has one end bearing against the eye 5 of the hook and attached to the shank adjacent the eye as shown at 9. The opposite end of the spring is attached to an anchor I!) which is preferably in the form of a screw driven into the door immediately adjacent the eye 6 so that the tension of the spring may be adjusted by varying the depth to which the screw is turned home.

It will be readily seen that the force of the spring is exerted to hold the hook up against the door as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and a pad II of any suitable material is secured upon the door toi receive the impact of the hook and thereby avoid marring of the door. When the door is fastened, the spring holds the hook outwardly in strong frictional engagement with the eye 'I so that rattling of the hook and accidental release thereof will be avoided although the spring will readily yield to an upward force properly applied. All the stated objects are attained by the described arrangement which holds the unlatched hook up against the door so that it will not catch in the clothing of a person standing near or passing 'the door.

In Figures 5 and 6, there is illustrated a Variation of the invention in which an anchoring screw I2 is substituted for the screw-eye 6, the outer or free end of the screw being formed into a hook I3 which is engaged through the eye 5 15 of the fastening hook. The spring I4, corresponding in all essential respects to the spring 8, is mounted upon the hook I3, the extremity of said hook being threaded to receive a nut I5 which bears against the end of the spring and the rotation of which effects adjustment of the tension of the spring. 'Ihe action of this arrangement is the same as the action of the first described form.

In applying the invention to double screen doors, the hook is hung on one door and engaged with an eye on the other door. The anchoring screw I6, on which the hook is hung, is similar to the anchor screw I3 shown in Figures 5 and 6, but the hook or bent end is extended past the shank to provided clearance for the spring I'I which is disposed between the door and the door hook. With this arrangement, the hook may swing through an arc of 180 degrees to rest against a pad on the door on which it is hung.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A screen door fastener comprising an arcuate anchor, a hook suspended on the anchor, and an expansion spring mounted on the anchor and bearing upon and attached to the hook.

2. A screen door fastener comprising an arcuate anchor, a hook suspended on the anchor, an expansion spring mounted on the anchor and bearing upon and attached to the hook, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring. 45

3. A screen door fastener comprising an arcuate anchor, a hook suspended on the anchor, an expansion spring mounted on the anchor and bearing upon and attached to the hook, and an adjustable stop adjacent the anchor to which 50 an end of the spring is attached.

4. A screen door fastener comprising an arcuate anchor, a hook suspended on the anchor, an expansion spring mounted on the anchor and bearing upon and attached to the hook, and a nut mounted on the anchor and bearing against an end of the spring.

THOMAS G. DE VILBISS. 

